by Gerald Zarlengo, MD, Chairman & CEO, COPIC Insurance Company
The COPIC Medical Foundation was established in 1991 with the goal of creating a nonprofit that could support our mission of improving medicine in the communities we serve. Today, the Foundation’s efforts extend across multiple states, have impacted the lives of many, and provided more than $11 million in funding to improve patient care and medical outcomes.
The grant funding at the heart of our Foundation continues to focus on initiatives designed to reduce fragmentation across care settings. Breakdowns in care from a fragmented health care system can lead to readmissions, missed diagnoses, medication errors, delayed treatment, duplicative testing and procedures, and reduction in quality of care.
“There are a lot of deserving initiatives backed by compassionate people who are making a difference. The Foundation’s efforts help elevate initiatives that have the potential to improve fragmentation in ways that benefit medical providers, their patients, and systematic changes. We are very excited to announce this year’s recipients and highlight the different ways they are addressing challenges with viable solutions,” said Meredith Hintze, Executive Director of the COPIC Medical Foundation.
For 2024, the Foundation has awarded more than $450,000 in grants to three organizations focused on reducing fragmentation in the healthcare system. Congratulations to the following organizations:
Visiting Nurse Association – Collaborative multicomponent care for elderly postoperative recovery and fall prevention (Nebraska): A five-organization collaboration addressing post-op care for elderly people with a focus on reduction of fall risks at home, improved circumstances related to social determinants of health, improved physical status, and enhanced well-being.
St. Elizabeth Healthcare – Community paramedicine pilot program (Kentucky): A program that uses paramedics to address inappropriate use of emergency medical services with a goal to reduce health care costs. The project will focus on meeting patients in their home environment and addressing social determinants of health care gaps and engagement in care.
DaneMAC – Expansion of the DaneMAC multi-agency portal (Wisconsin): A new web-based platform through which survivors of sexual violence and post-assault care providers can connect with each other. It provides survivors with immediate, post-assault mental health care and secure, intra-agency communication and coordination among post-assault care providers.
We anticipate that information about the next round of funding along with Request for Proposals (RFP) will be posted in November 2024 with applications due mid-January 2025. For more details on the COPIC Medical Foundation, please visit www.copicfoundation.org.
Welcoming Kelly Joines: COPIC Medical Foundation’s newest board member
We are excited to welcome Kelly Joines, a dynamic leader with a passion for driving change, to the Foundation’s Board of Directors. Currently serving as the chief strategy officer for Contexture, the leading health information exchange (HIE) for Arizona and Colorado, Joines brings not only extensive experience in health information and technology, but also an unwavering commitment to health equity.
Joines’ first introduction to the Foundation occurred during our inaugural round of grantees in 2021 when Contexture (then Corhio) partnered with the Mile High Health Alliance on its ER Utilization alert project. However, it was her participation in the 2022 CMF Grantee Summit as a panelist representing HIEs that truly illuminated the impact the Foundation was making, aligning perfectly with her values and expertise.
With a background spanning 17 years in health information exchange, Joines brings a unique perspective to the board. Her expertise in navigating the challenges and opportunities within the HIE space using innovation, strategy, and partnerships equips her with invaluable insights to support the Foundation’s goal of catalyzing improvements in health care delivery and reducing adverse outcomes.
WITHIN NORMAL LIMITS – COPIC’S PODCAST
Within Normal Limits: Navigating Medical Risks – hosted by Eric Zacharias, MD, COPIC’s Director of Medical Education – now has more than 35 episodes available. Each episode is around 20-30 minutes and features a discussion with physician leaders and/or medical experts that offers insights to improve care and avoid medical liability issues. Recent episode topics include:
Just Culture—A Framework that Promotes Patient Safety
Documentation—Telling the Story of Patient Care
Ensuring Patients Make Informed Decisions Through Informed Consent
Preventing Falls in the Healthcare Setting
Within Normal Limits is available on popular platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon. You can also go to www.callcopic.com/wnlpodcast for more information.
Categories: Communications, Colorado Medicine